Prince of Sweets
by Eria
Summary: Asuka Masamune's been outed by the premiere Yan-Yan Magazine! In response, his mother expels him from Ginyuri Academy for his otomen ways and forces him into an ultra-rich academy, where the girls wear yellow dresses and the boys wear blue suits. How is Asuka going to cope in a strange environment among the wealthiest students in Japan? Will he be able to return to his friends?
1. His Secret Revealed

_**Author's notes: **I've had this plunnie for about three years. It's slowly evolved into what you see today. I don't think it will be a long story.  
_

* * *

It was supposed to be a normal day after winning the championships, but right away Masamune Asuka knew something was terribly wrong.

The groups of girls, who usually fawned over him, were looking in his direction furtively and whispering with rolled up magazines of _Yan Yan_ in their hands.

Even his usual classmates were less than eager to respond to his 'good morning', some more tremulously than others.

After he switched out his shoes for school slippers, Ariake grabbed the sleeve of his uniform shirt. "Senpai!"

Asuka blinked at his underclassman. "Yamato, what's up?"

Ariake's hand shook. "This is some sick joke, right? It's a prank, right? There's no way a manly man like you could be one of the Beauty Samurai, the 'Demon of Fashion'!"

Asuka's stomach dropped, but he kept his face carefully blank. "Yamato, it's no joke."

"But—"

"Good morning, Asuka-chan! There's something I want to show you!" Suddenly he was grabbed by red-headed Tachibana Juta, who swung him into the empty conference room. After sliding the door close, he turned to Asuka with a serious look. "You were revealed by the editor-in-chief of _Yan Yan_."

Asuka often read the newest editions, but he'd been so busy preparing for the National Kendo Championships and then competing in the tournaments that he hadn't had time to catch up on his reading. "... I don't understand why she would do that."

"Whatever the reason, you're unmasked and eating a cute-looking dessert at the bakery we go to!" Juta shoved the Yan-Yan magazine's Exclusive Reveal section towards him as Juta recited only a small part of the article. "The Demon of Fashion is actually a 17 year-old highschooler who goes to Ginyuri Academy. His real name is a secret, but if you happen to meet him in person call him Edo-sama! Hint: He won this year's National Kendo Championships, Highschool Division!"

Pushing the magazine away carefully, Asuka headed to the door. "I need to make sure my mother's okay!"

"Asuka-chan, she's fine! I'm more worried that-"

"Asuka!"

His heart fluttered in his chest at the sound of that voice calling his name. "Ryo?" He smiled turning towards her. Her face looked so troubled that he stopped from stepping closer to her.

"I heard you might be getting expelled. If that happens, I'll come see you at your new school."

Their Sensei stuck his head out of the classroom. "Masamune-kun, you've been requested to go to the office immediately." The poet gave him a sad smile. "If you want to run away now, I can help you out."

"No, Sensei. I need to do this on my own."

Behind him, Juta had a very stricken look on his face.

"Juta, don't look so down. Whatever happens, we'll all still be friends, right?"

Ryo and Juta nodded solemnly.

Straightening his shoulders, Asuka settled the heavy mantle of manliness across his shoulders and headed to the office to confront his mother.

On his way, none of his classmates would offer a 'good morning'. He forgave them easily for that since it probably had been quite the shock.

He entered the room and shut the door.

"Asuka..." The dark voice of his mother quivered. "You're one of _those_, aren't you? An Otomen, an aberration on the morals of Japanese men!" She gasped as if it hurt her chest to breathe.

"Mother—!" Asuka lurched for her, worried she would collapse.

His mother jerked her arm away from his supportive grasp. "Don't. Try. To. Appease. Me. I've _had it_ with your lies! Japanese men should always be honorable. Where's the honor in _this_?" She picked up the folded back copy of _Yan Yan_ one-handed. The pictures showed a gentle smile that was always present on his face as he ate pastries, made bentos in his own home, and handed a pair of knitted gloves to Ryo. "How _dare _you lie to me!" She shook with so much rage that Asuka was afraid for her health.

"Please, Mother. Your health-"

"It was all a ruse to guilt you into stopping this nonsense!"

Asuka's heart squeezed painfully. He worked his mouth and blinked furiously as his eyes started to burn. He had to stay strong, to be a man. He could only afford to shed a few tears, not a whole cupful.

"But I see you are just like _that man_, that detestable transvestite."

At least his mother didn't seem to know who his father had become, but Asuka was sad nonetheless. There would be no more baking lessons or bakery visits for him. He took a deep, shaky breath as tears threatened to fall again.

"Don't worry, my dear Asuka. I had a backup plan in case nothing else reformed you. For the rest of the school term, you will be going to Ouran Academy, which other than being wildly prestigious, also offers the best academics and athletics programs that money can buy." Her merciless eyes flashed and Asuka took a step back. "Your little friends can't corrupt you anymore."

He couldn't stand it any longer. He ran for the door opening it wide and running out. Everything he'd work so hard to maintain. _Everything_ ruined in just one issue of his favorite magazine. He sobbed, blinded by tears.

Now that the truth was out, it felt like his wonderful world was imploding. His classmates had refused to look at him. Was it so terrible? Was he so much of a freak to like to sew and cook? He couldn't help the tears as more and more fell.

"Asuka-chan!" Juta's voice called him, but his vision was all a blur as he ran out the back door of the school.

**TBC.**


	2. A Pauper Amongst Billionaires

_**Author's notes:** Poor Asuka. I wish his mom wouldn't be that harsh.  
_

* * *

His mother's smile was strained with a hint of malice when she stopped the car at the school gate. "Asuka, have a good day at school. I'll pick you up at four-thirty. Don't be late."

He slipped out of the sleek, black car without a word, checking his tie nervously. The blue uniform was stiffer than he'd like, which could have been fixed easily if he had tailored it himself.

Unfortunately, his mom had already gone through all his stuff and thrown out or donated whatever did not fit her 'ideal man' craze. He only had his tiny sewing kit left, which only had enough thread for the occasional popped button. To keep her from taking it, he carried it on his person at all times, even into the bathroom when he bathed.

Now, Asuka walked towards the imposing gate that cars more expensive than his mother's passed through.

He'd visited this place before with his mother as he was shown around, but he still felt a little lost because of the Academy's enormity. He'd also been shown the Kendo Club's facilities and also been informed that Ouran Academy even sponsored their own team for the female division. He wondered exactly how that detail had escaped his mother's notice.

He made it to the first period class in 1-A without any trouble. A black-haired girl, who he remembered meeting at orientation, and a short, honey blond boy, named Haninozuka Yasuchika, greeted him promptly. Haninozuka was, as he had been at the Karate and Judo national championships, cold as steel. He was also Ouran Academy's Karate Team Captain.

Asuka had lost at hand-to-hand against him in the semi-finals to the first championship, and again in the finals of the National Judo Championship. Despite losing, Asuka harbored only respect for the better-skilled student.

Haninozuka introduced him, and Asuka bowed lightly to the class. He tried not to act depressed, but he just ran through the motions of introduction without smiling.

Before long he was in a seat, taking mathematics notes.

His heart ached to hear Ryo's voice again, and he missed his friends terribly. In this stuffy school, there was no way he'd be allowed to be himself, especially when all the girls wore pretty yellow dresses and all the boys wore sharp blue suits.

When the study period arrived, he was approached by several girls while he was still seated at his desk, reading. "Hello, we're from class 1-B, and we wanted to pay our respects to the new Kendo Team's Assistant-Captain. Let me introduce myself and my acquaintances. My name's Futsuki Hanako." She smiled and then gestured to the girl on her right. "This is Tashii Juno." Then, Futsuki gestured to her other side, "and this is Hachibana Minaru. We're pleased to make your acquaintance." They curtsied as if on cue.

He nodded dazedly, standing, and bowed in greeting. "Please take care of me." The girl giggled lightly behind a polite hand, and her friend chimed in, "You won the Athletics Scholarship right?"

Before he could respond, the last girl to be introduced said, "You'll start at the club today, then?"

Again, he nodded politely. "Yes, of course."

"The Kendo Club only lasts until 3:45 in the afternoon, right?"

"I believe so."

They smiled and giggled behind raised hands and then dropped their hands before speaking again. "We're big fans! We'll cheer you on, Masamune-kun!" Then, like a breeze they were gone, leaving the classroom.

Whether they were just politely curious or not, Asuka felt a bit like he was some exotic species they had come to visit.

A tall, short-haired teen, he recognized from his own class, stepped up to him after they had gone. "Your name's Masamune, right?"

Asuka nodded. He finally remembered his name. "You're Morinozuka Satoshi." He had beaten him to snag a finalist's position at the National Kendo Championship.

"Yeah, that's me! I'm the Kendo Club's Captain! You'll be at practice after school right?"

He nodded again.

"Great! This was a nice chat!" A loud 'uwahhh! cute!' erupted from the corner, where a lot of their female classmates were standing. "Sorry, but I've got to catch up to Yasuchika before he upsets someone." With a wink, the energetic Morinozuka was gone.

Feeling colder than he had when his cheerful classmate had appeared, Asuka was left alone. No others came to chat with him, which was probably a good thing. He was worn out. He gazed down at the book cover with a bamboo sword on the front. The book on advanced kendo techniques felt heavy in his hands.

It was only a few days since he'd left the Ginyuri Academy but the world was already emptier to him.

He bit down the sigh threatening to burst from his lips at his melodramatic mood. The book he was reading was dry and manly, and while he wouldn't normally mind it... he really missed reading cooking and knitting magazines. His mother had so casually thrown them into the trash in front of him with a pleased smile when he no longer protested. All of his scrapbooks with newspaper clippings of recipes or romance advice, which he had collected over the years, had been tossed too.

Leaning against the side of his hand propped up by his elbow, he cleared his mind as tears threatened to overwhelm him again.

The huge classroom felt so alien. He couldn't relax. Ouran Academy was a school for the super-rich and wealthy. He felt entirely out of place. If he hadn't gotten that scholarship...

The bell rang. Students took their assigned seats as their next teacher strolled in and set down her binder. Then, she began to speak in fluent English so quickly that Asuka had trouble following. She began to write on the board a list of words, obviously explaining them in English as she gestured at each one.

This English class was far more advanced than his old school's lessons. He was lost in the material right away. He wrote down what she had and tried to follow, but when the bell for lunch tolled, he wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to know from that lesson.

He looked down at his desk and really did sigh then. He'd have to talk to the teacher for extra help, it seemed. He would have asked Juta, but his friend wasn't attending Ouran Academy.

Asuka bent forward and pulled out his wrapped bento, not looking forward to eating lunch alone.

**TBC.**


	3. He Loves Sweets

_**Author's notes:** Thank you for the reviews! ^.~ This update is for you two. I know it's a short chapter, but I should have more updates towards the end of the week!  
_

* * *

"Yoohoo! Masamune-kun!"

Pale-haired, pale-eyed Asuka looked up from his bento inside the glamorous room that looked more like a ritzy restaurant than a cafeteria.

"We'd like to eat lunch with you, if you wouldn't mind?" Futsuki was back, beaming at him, along with her smiling consorts all carrying trays that looked painstakingly hand-crafted. On top, there were beautifully enameled chinaware filled with the most exquisite looking foods with sparkling pieces of silverware next to them.

Since he would rather eat with company, he nodded and looked away from the likely exorbitantly priced, mouth-watering food.

"It's not unusual for a student to transfer to our school in the middle of the year," Futsuki stated politely as they seated themselves across from him. "Speaking of which, it's too bad Hoshakuji-senpai wasn't here today. She's been ill all week. But!" Futsuki smiled, "She should be back next week, and I have a feeling she'd like you."

"Yes, but Hoshakuji-senpai can be a little over the top. Personally, I believe you'd became fast friends with Fujioka-senpai. He's a real gentlemen, like you, with a common pedigree." Hachibana quipped.

Asuka smiled politely and continued gnawing on his entree, while the other three ate with elegant manners. Their food smelled as good as it was presented and their desserts... They reminded him of Pattisserie Violet, the very same shop he often frequented...

One had a strawberry princess, skating daintly over the icing of the small cake. Another was a blueberry snowman complete with cute bunnies made of icing. The final pastry artfully bent a green sugar glaze into a slide where a raspberry and a blackberry sat amongst tiny droplets of white dew. Friendship and cuteness wrapped all in one that it pained Asuka for a moment.

"Do you like sweet things, Masamune-kun?" Tashii asked suddenly.

He blinked and shook his head. "No," he lied, "I wondered why the pastry looked so artistic."

"Oh, there's a new pastry chef! Everything he makes is so wonderfully delicious and beautiful! I offered to quadruple his pay to have him to myself, but he politely refused," Futsuki said with a pout.

"He did offer to do commission work for parties," Hachibana reminded her.

"Yes, at least he isn't that miserly," Futsuki agreed lightly.

Before the conversation could fixate any more on the delicately cute pastries that made Asuka's heart clench, he diverted the conversation. "Fujioka?" Asuka asked politely and then took several bites from his food with his plain, black-lacquered chopsticks. His mother's mediocre cooking sat uncomfortably in his stomach.

"Oh, that's right!" Hachibana enthused, "Fujioka Haruhi's a second year. He's on scholarship, like you, but he's on an academic one. Just last month, he came back from studying abroad in Boston, but he doesn't normally dine in the eatery..."

"Boston?"

"It's a major city in America," Tashii instructed and then tittered with the others. Asuka blushed lightly. His geography skills were decent, so he should have known what Hachibana meant. He was both envious and inspired that someone like him had studied in America.

_'I want to meet him.'_ but saying that would be too bold wouldn't it? All the social niceties he'd encountered made him second-guess his words. "Maybe he could help me with my English studies…?"

"Oh, he's busy, so I'm not sure…" Hachibana began, but Futsuki casually leaned forward and Hachibana's words died on her lips as she glanced at Futsuki.

With an enigmatic smile, Futsuki stated lightly, "He's very friendly, and since he's fresh from a yearlong stay in America his English should be very good. Don't you think so, Tashii?"

"Yes! I think Fujioka-senpai would love to tutor Masamune-kun, right Hachibana?"

"Mm!" All three of them smiled expectantly at him.

"So long as he doesn't disagree, I would happily accept his tutelage."

The conversation soon turned to other people who Asuka knew nothing about and he listened to them talk, keeping track of the names they casually dropped left and right. He appreciated their help and stayed silent so he wouldn't betray his true nature. The last thing he wanted was for his mother to shuttle him to a different school just as he was beginning to relax.

After lunch, he bid the sociable girls farewell and headed to his next class. This time the science lesson wasn't very hard, but several times he had to put down his pencil to stop from doodling.

He imagined that his mother would look over his notebooks and berate him if she saw anything suspicious. She'd thrown away his old ones, disgusted with him to see doodles of cute things and ideas for desserts all over the pages. He put the pencil down and took a deep, quiet breath. The lecture class droned on and on, but at least there was nothing he couldn't do.

Neatly writing the homework assignment into his planner at the bell, he calmly waited for his last class of the day, geography, to begin. His heart was already lighter.

**TBC.**


	4. An Invitation to Two Clubs

_**Author's notes:**__ :D Ahh, a lighthearted story was just what I needed to get back into the writing mood. Thanks for reading!_

* * *

Unexpectedly, class didn't start right away. Was there a free period Asuka was unaware from? Absentmindedly, Asuka left his notebook untouched and doodled on the desk.

A shadow hovered over him. "That's really cute, Masamune."

Frantically, he erased it from dark polish. "It's nothing." He looked carefully towards the other and saw Morinozuka's smiling face.

"After you go and ruin that cute drawing, of course it's nothing! I was wondering if you wanted to join us at the Petting Zoo Club after Kendo Club meets."

Asuka's mouth went dry at the thought of cute animals surrounding him, and not for the first time he wondered how his mother didn't know of such a scandalous club existing. "Don't you have other things to do than pet animals?" This was the proper response, but he was surprised by how heated his tone had come out.

The bright smile never dimmed; in fact, it seemed to brighten. "Yasuchika and I run the Petting Zoo Club, so naturally we do other things to care for the animals."

Sudden hope flowed into Asuka, though he looked down at his notebook. Desperately he wanted—no, _yearned_- to cook and sew once again, but he was too afraid to ask if such clubs existed and, if so, if men could join…

"Well, let me know before kendo practice if you change your mind." The shadow moved to take his seat next to Haninozuka as the teacher walked into the classroom.

The geography class was a little harder than it was at his old school, but the homework was very bizarre, if impossible to complete. How was he supposed to visit South Korea and get a cultural souvenir if he didn't even have a passport?

Obediently he wrote the homework down and packed his bag.

Unhooking it from the desk, he reciprocated his classmates' farewell. Then he stood and headed out the door.

Many students were looking his way now as if they just noticed him and that made him feel very uncomfortable. Just that morning, he had been invisible.

"Masamune Asuka." Two devilish voices trilled as one.

He stopped and turned to face who had called his name, expecting a fight.

Two good-looking guys nearly identical in appearance were side-by-side grinning at him. "We've been waiting for someone like you to come to our school!"

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, how rude of us!" They caroused. "We are the Hitachiin brothers."

Several girls were sighing and giggling behind Asuka. The whispering had intensified.

"Nice to meet you. I apologize for being blunt, but I have to report to my club punctually. See you." He turned back down the corridor.

"Hey, commoner! We know why you came to our school... if you don't want everyone else to know too, then..." They grinned at each other and then smirked at him.

Asuka stopped cold. In a school like this... would he be bullied for his girlish loves? He faced them again, narrowing his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Kaoru! Hikaru!" A fist came down on each of their heads. The twins looked unhappy to see the newcomer. "Stop harassing the new student!" The short boy smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that. These rich guys get carried away when they want to ask for a favor."

"Are you, Fujioka-san?"

He blinked owlishly, pointing at himself. "You already know my name?"

Nodding, Asuka said, "Some of my classmates mentioned your name because of our scholarship status. What favor?"

"We wanted to extend an invitation to our club. It's a social one, and you wouldn't have to come until you were done with the Kendo Club. It's at Music Room 3 on the top floor of the South Wing at the end of the hall."

All chatting ceased around them, and Asuka swallowed nervously but managed a calm voice. "I'll think about it."

"Thank you, Masamune-kun. Please let us know your answer at your earliest convenience."

"Sure." He walked away, feeling unsteadied. Those two brothers seemed like they were on the verge of blackmailing him. He figured they must really want him at their club, but _why_?

Talking and movement resumed around them, and Asuka made his way to the Kendo Club's facilities. Futsuki, Tashii, and Hachibana were in the hallway outside the doors with a dozen of other girls who squealed and murmured as students passed through the door.

Heading directly to the changing facilities, Asuka easily slipped into his kendo uniform and took his bag of equipment with him.

He knelt by the side as the others lined up. Even though the door was closed, he could still hear the girls' giggling and talking behind them.

Despite this, Captain Morinozuka somehow ignored them and was pretty harsh as he belted out commands at his older subordinates. It was no wonder that Ouran Academy's Kendo Team had slaughtered Ginyuri Academy's in the Team Division.

"Masamune! What do you think you're doing? Your form's all sloppy! Stay focused and show your fellow members how a National Champion practices!"

"Yes, sir!" Asuka's mind had been wandering. Emotionally, he had lost his confidence, and without his friends to shore him up it was showing. He had to work through it though.

He'd done it before, he could do it again.

**TBC.**


	5. The Host Club Interrupted

_**Author's notes:**__ Thank you for the reviews! :3 Asuka is too cute! XD -squee-  
_

* * *

By the end of practice, Asuka was glad that the Principal hadn't wanted him to be the Captain just because he had bested Morinozuka at kendo. He'd thought he'd put the members of his own team through the wringer at Ginyuri, but he'd been mistaken. He'd been too soft and learned a lot from Morinozuka's demanding orders.

He toweled off the large amount of sweat from practice, showered in the immense private stall, and then changed back into his school uniform. It was right at four in the afternoon. Asuka put the towel in a hamper and picked up his bag. He had time to go check out that club Fujioka had mentioned, but he had no idea where the South Wing was.

"Masamune! I heard you were invited to _that_ club, you sly dog!" Morinozuka elbowed him lightly, so different than when he was drilling the Kendo club members through their forms. "Is that why you didn't change your mind about coming to see the baby chicks?"

Asuka looked away from him. "I don't even know what the club Fujioka-san invited me to is about."

"Were you heading that way now?"

"Yes, but I'm not really familiar with this school yet..."

With a look of surprise, Morinozuka grinned and jutted a thumb towards his chest. "I know the way! You can count on me!"

As he followed the humming guy who had a bag slapped against his shoulder, Asuka wondered how he could still be so energetic after the grueling workout he'd gone through with everyone else.

In about ten minutes, they'd arrived at Music Room 3.

With a salute, Morinozuka said, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Masamune!"

"See you." Reaching forward, Asuka opened the doors.

Inside, was an Old American Western.

"Welcome!" The group caroused.

Asuka blinked once, and then blinked again as he stepped inside. The wide, double doors shut behind him. "Fujioka?"

The dimunitive Junior was dressed like a cowboy in decorative, high-heeled leather boots, a bandana around his neck, and a distinctive wide-brimmed hat on. "Hey, Masmune-kun," he said sheepishly.

"So he's arrived!" Those dastardly twins said as one, wearing matching outlaw wear, complete with dust-stained denim jeans.

A blonde teen, obviously half-Japanese, suddenly appeared in front of Asuka posing in his very own, authentic Sheriff's outfit. "Oh, my lost puppy, how you must have longed to be among friends when your mother kicked you out of your old school!" He ran a hand through his hair, flicking his bangs forward. "You must have been so upset, but never fear! _We'll_ be your new friends from now on!"

"And you are?" Asuka said sharply, trying not to be insulted by what the rambunctious blond was trying to say. It was only then that he noticed all the girls standing around them creating a yellow sea of dresses.

"Oh, me? I am Suoh Tamaki! King of this illustrious Host Club."

Asuka's eyebrows raised in surprise. No wonder Fujioka hadn't given him the club's name. Such a scandalous club would never have gotten passed the administrators in a normal school.

"Foolish lord, foolish lord!" singsonged the Twins.

"Silence at once, you two! I'm trying to extend a warm greeting to our newest companion!" Suoh yelled at the two who looked completely apathetic and shrugged.

"And you!" Suoh continued gallantly, holding out a hand to Asuka with a gentle smile, "Are here to accept our proposal to become a Host, am I right? Don't be afraid, pup. Those on scholarship are treated no differently than anyone else. Isn't that right, Haruhi?"

Fujioka looked like he had swallowed a bug and was darkly muttering under his breath.

Raising his hands, Asuka shook his head. "I'm not here to accept. I just wanted to know what I was being invited to. Obviously, this isn't my cup of tea."

He turned to go to leave these madmen to their crazy cosplay, but two devilish, mirrored grins met his gaze. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Edo Murasaki-kun."

He took a step away from those devilish Hitachiin twins as they wrapped an arm around each other.

They _knew_ that he was the Demon Samurai of Fashion. Asuka's heart leaped up his throat.

"We are aware of your delicate situation, Masmune-kun," a cool voice stated quietly behind him, "though it isn't common knowledge, _yet_. If you join our club, I can make certain to suppress that information."

With a dark look on his face, Asuka turned again. He was eye to eye with this glasses-wearer of promises, who smiled at him like he was a fish caught in a net. He was wearing some old-fashioned suit. At first, Asuka thought he was a bartender, but when the dark-haired guy reached into his pocket to open a big, gold, old-timey watch, then Asuka immediately thought banker.

Before he could ask for his name, there was a tilt to that one's head and a smile slipped onto his face where once there was only thinly veiled malice. "Pardon my rudeness." The meticulously polite voice said, this time loudly enough for the girls around to hear. "My name is Ohtori Kyouya, a third year like Tamaki. I am the Vice President of this club."

"A-ah. Nice to meet you all," Asuka forced out.

"Masamune-kun, your clients await you." With a graceful gesture, Ohtori stepped aside, and Futsuki, Tashii, and Hachibana were sitting primly at a table, a couple of empty plates with cake crumbs and icing dotting them and an empty white chair.

"Masamune-kun, you've arrived!" Futsuki smiled happily.

Asuka slowly walked forward and dropped his bag by the table. Taking a seat, he exhaled softly. "Hello, ladies. I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do here."

"You're to keep us entertained, of course!" Hachibana exclaimed proudly.

"Why don't you tell us about your family? Do you have any siblings?" Tashii implored quickly.

_I'm entertainment? Well, I guess this __**is**__ a host club... _"Ah, no. No siblings. And my mother's always busy providing for the two of us."

"What happened to your father?" Tashii asked quietly.

"He left us when I was young." Asuka knew better than to explain why his father had left.

"How tragic!" All three of them cried out, clutching handkerchiefs that had suddenly appeared in their hands to their cheeks.

"It's just like that commoner 'sop opera' that Fujioka introduced me to the other day! They're aptly named since they make my handkerchiefs sopping wet!" Hachibana gushed informatively, all sign of tears gone.

He was just about to gently inform Hachibana of her simple misunderstanding, when a voice rang out shrilly.

"Asuka! I told you to meet me at four-thirty!"

The other students' conversations quieted immediately and eyes turned to the woman in a professional power-suit looking incensed.

A squeamish-looking student wearing a kendo uniform had accompanied her and was in the process of slipping away, if his mother hadn't have screamed at him to explain exactly what _this_ club was about. The poor guy stammered, so intimidated he was.

Asuka stood up to leave, feeling responsible for his mother's bullying. "My apologies, ladies. I have to go."

The three girls looked sad, and though Asuka's heart was moved by their expressions he knew he'd have to calm his mother down before she filed a formal petition to the Superintendent and had this club shut down.

It was a pity. Asuka didn't think the cosplay club was all that bad of an idea, even if he'd been blackmailed into 'entertaining' the respectful girls.

**TBC.**


	6. A Close Save

_**Author's notes:**__ :D \o/ -does cartwheels of joy- Sorry about the weird update. Somehow put the wrong chapter up! Lulz.  
_

* * *

Before Asuka could approach his mother, Suoh had gotten to his mother's side.

"My fair lady, you are so radiant today! Please do not be angry with your wonderful son. I, Suoh Tamaki, invited him to join me and my fellow colleagues in our club. If we disrupted your schedule at all, I am truly sorry and beg your forgiveness!"

His mother's anger melted suddenly and she giggled lightly, turning from suspicious anger to buttered sweetness at the drop of a hat.

The kendo student looked super-relieved and finally slunk away without her notice.

"Oh, no, no. It's no trouble at all. How long does this club last, if I may ask, Suoh-kun?"

"Until five, madame."

Asuka blinked in surprise at his mother, and then remembered that one of the chairmen on the school's board had the last name of Suoh. That made the fair-haired senior a chairman's son. Of course, his mother only saw advantage in this.

_No wonder they could get away with such an extravagantly frivolous club... _Asuka thought.

"I'm afraid he's really clumsy in serving others, and this sort of thing doesn't suit his tastes, since he doesn't like sweets," his mother lied easily with a bright smile. "He's a very traditional sort of Japanese man! He'll need a wife adept at sewing and cooking to keep him happy."

He sat back down, defeated and embarrassed. Why couldn't she see that he was happier doing those things?

Suoh didn't even waste a moment. "That's alright. I'll be sure to teach him all the manly techniques I know. The ladies will all adore him. You can count on it!"

"Oh my! I'll hold you to it, Suoh-kun!" She laughed lightly. "Asuka, dear! I'll be back at five to pick you up. Have fun!" She waved politely as she stepped out of the somewhat hushed room.

"Oh… Masamune-kun… how awful..!" Hachibana began to wail, and Asuka became extremely flustered unable to speak while her two friends sidled next to her to try to calm her down.

"Is your mom always like that, Masmune-kun?"

Looking over his shoulder, Asuka saw a frowning Fujioka standing not far from his own table of 'clients'. "Ah, yes. Ever since my father left us."

"Ohhh?" The Hitachiin brothers came forward nosily. "She's not just controlling," the one on the right began, poking a forefinger to the left one's. "Her attitude's rotten, too," the left one finished. "It's no wonder he left with a wife like that," they sung together, inner arms linked together, and waving their free arms out.

Asuka was so shocked by their rudeness that he was struck speechless.

"Like you two can say anything," Fujioka countered them viciously, "You're both rotten to the core."

"Hey, at least we don't roll over to curry favors," They said with synchronized voices.

Asuka wished he could tell which was Kaoru and which was Hikaru so he could be angry at them properly. He had never felt ashamed about his mother's behavior before, but he did now and felt obligated to defend her. "My mother may be ruthless and controlling, but at least I know she loves me. She's dedicated to my education because she had to raise me all by herself."

"Ohhh… You think we struck a nerve there?" The the twin on the left said.

"Most definitely!"

They grinned at one another as Asuka frowned at them.

"Hikaru! Kaoru! Stop bullying Masamune."

"We don't want tooo," the twins whined in an annoying fashion.

Futsuki whispered to Asuka, "Fujioka-senpai and the Hitachiin brothers are constantly arguing like that. Fujioka-senpai will take care of them, don't worry."

"So, do you have any siblings?" Asuka asked politely, changing the subject, while Fujioka strictly lectured the Twins.

"Oh, I'm an only child."

"Me too," Tashii said.

"I have a younger brother," Hachibana announced proudly.

"Asuka!"

_Since when were we on first name basis?_ Asuka wondered, turning in the chair to answer Suoh. "Yes?"

"Since you'll be here for a little longer, you must wear this horse suit we made for you! Our club's theme for the day is 'The Wild American West!' "

Right away Asuka noticed the tear in bottom right hoof and the button that was missing from its eye. "Ah..."

"Masamune-kun, you don't have to accept," Fujioka stated beside him. "I can't tell you how many times Tamaki threatened to put a bunny suit on me last year."

"That's totally different! You would have looked really cute in it, and Honey-senpai would have been okay with the swap that one time!"

Fujioka rolled his eyes.

_Honey-senpai? _Asuka wondered at the story behind that nickname.

"Suoh-senpai, I'd much rather prefer Asuka in his kendo uniform," Tashii so helpfully interceded.

"Yes, he looks so dashing in it!" Hachibana interjected, holding up a colored photo blown up from his profile picture on Ginyuri Academy's Kendo Club website.

_Exactly __**where**__ had she hidden that?!_ Asuka stared at the framed picture of himself.

"They do this sort of thing all the time. You'll get used to it," Fujioka muttered darkly under his breath.

Tashii sighed happily at the picture, "Isn't he so handsome?"

Futsuki cooed, "He was _so_ great at kendo practice today!"

"Our goal here is to entertain others, Masamune-kun," chided the Vice President who had suddenly materialized on the other side of him before Asuka could say a dismissive word.

"I could wear my spare outfit here tomorrow, so it wouldn't be sweaty from practice," Asuka offered. He'd never had such a close relationship with fangirls before, but at least they didn't seem like stalkers…

The girls swooned at the thought. "Ahh, Masamune-kun! We'd love that!"

At that moment, Asuka's heart clenched. He wanted nothing more than for Ryo to say the same to him. When he looked up he realized it had grown noisier because the girls from the other tables were surrounding them chatting and giggling at him.

A cart with pastries was pushed next to him. Hikaru and Kaoru lifted and placed a cake plate together in front of him. One set down a card with its title and the other set a fork down. "Eat up, Prince of Sweets!"

Asuka couldn't keep his flustered look of surprise from his face. _This pastry._.. 'Making New Friendships Is Worth It' the card read. It looked just like the Chef's handiwork. Asuka felt the tears prick his eyes. "I'll-I'll pass. Thanks."

"Oh really? You look like you're close to tears. Are you sure you don't want any?" They wagged the delicious-smelling cake with two bunnies making flower wreaths together near his face. The detail was exquisite, and his face flushed at its beauty.

Unbeknownst to Asuka, his clients exchanged excited looks.

"Don't tease him!" Futsuki hissed, "Look at the poor guy! He obviously wants it, but can't. You heard his mother, right? A 'traditional Japanese man.' " She snatched the plate from them and put it down in front of her. "Juno, Minaru, please eat this with me!"

"Right away!" The other two girls picked up their forks and delicately ate the cake with relish.

Asuka was too close to losing it. He dug deep down, pulled out his inner strength, swallowing down the tears, and then breathed out. "Who made that pastry?"

"Oh, you were curious about them before, weren't you? I'm sorry I don't know his name..." Futsuki said fairly embarrassed that she couldn't remember the name of the pastry chef.

"Yoshino Hiromi. Divorced. He lives on his own in a small apartment. He's the owner of Violet Patisserie, but currently passed on management to some other able pastry chefs. He was recently hired by Ouran Academy when he expressed interest. The Host Club currently has him making pastries on commission." A notebook closed crisply after Ohtori finished.

_The Chef is here? _Asuka felt stunned by the news.

"Judging by your reaction to the pastry, you're a fan of his work. In that case, you're in luck," Suoh said with a twinkle in his eye. "Yoshino-san, come on out!"

The door opened and a very tall man with sunglasses on walked in with a bundle in his hands. Asuka watched his father come closer and realized the pastry chef had dropped everything else to be supportive in his time of need.

Already crying when the stoic man silently handed the parcel over to Asuka, the teen wiped his cheeks, unaware of the hungry stares of moe around him.

He opened it. There were three sheets of paper full of 'thinking of you' and well-wishing comments. It seemed nobody had forgotten him at Ginyuri Academy, despite the cold shoulder he'd gotten from his classmates on his last day.

"Chef… this means _so_ much to me. Thank you… for your kindness…" Asuka sniffled.

His father gave him a shy smile. "This is the least I can do."

When he finally found Ryo's sloppy handwriting and messy signature, he smiled fondly. _I miss her… _ His heart clenched.

"Kyouya!" Suoh stage-whispered as their newest member sparkled. "Asuka looks like a maiden in love!"

"So he's in love," came the bland response, "He did have a girlfriend at Ginyuri Academy."

Flames of moe burst forth in a wave of heat. No doubt the girls were willing to do anything to help the newest club member out now that they knew that he was estranged from his lover.

Meanwhile, at the frank admission from his Vice President, Suoh was struck by lightning. "Poor, poor Asuka! I as King of this Host Club will do everything I can to prove to your mother that you should be returned to your beloved's side! I will be a proper father to you and provide the perfect role model that your mother desperately wants for you!"

Refolding the letters and placing them safely into the paper-and-twine-wrapped envelope, Asuka gave them back to the pastry chef. "Thanks, Chef. I entrust these to your safekeeping," he said quietly while Suoh ranted.

The pale eyebrows raised over his sunglasses as if to ask why he needed to keep them.

"She'll throw them out like everything else."

His father looked like he didn't know what to say, but he nodded and tucked the envelope under his arm.

When the Club President's rant had finished, Asuka looked at Suoh and bluntly said, "I already have a father."

"Who abandoned you," said the orange-haired Twin on the left.

The pastry chef stiffened, which for some reason caused the Vice President to scribble something into his notebook.

"And left you to that horrible control freak," said the other. "In this case, we think milord should be a good replacement, right Mama?" The Twins looked towards Kyouya in askance.

Hardly anybody noticed the Chef's suddenly depressed mood, other than his son, who placed a warm hand on his shoulder and smiled at him in reassurance.

"I think, instead of using Tamaki, Ryoji-san would be the better option. He's raised Haruhi all by himself, after all, without unwarranted interference," the Vice President said charmingly, while his glasses glinted wickedly.

"Haruhi, Papa wants you to be best of friends with Asuka! Let him sleep over and bask in the love of a doting father!"

Fujioka raised his hands up as if to stop the Suoh's onslaught. "I have to ask Dad properly. You can't just make that decision on your own."

"Oh, that? I already asked him for permission during lunch break. He said as long as you slept in separate rooms it's fine by him." Ohtori said simply. Asuka wasn't sure what to make of Ohtori yet. Surely, the lean Senior wasn't ill-intentioned when he suggested a 'replacement'. He glanced at the chef who looked perplexed beneath his stoicism.

Looking towards the floor with a sour expression, Fujioka was muttering again under his breath. Asuka thought he said something about shadows.

Asuka cleared his throat. "My mother won't let me. She's very picky about that sort of thing."

Chuckling lightly, Suoh flicked his bangs out again and spun in place. "I'll escort you to her car and ask her ever so politely! She's so charmed by me that she couldn't say no!"

* * *

Masamune Kiyomi smiled brilliantly. "Absolutely... Not."

Suoh wilted visibly next to an indifferent Fujioka.

"I must meet this Fujioka Ryouji first before I allow my son to spend the night over at his place." Her face turned dark. "I wouldn't want him to get ruined by those _otomen_ lurking everywhere. Asuka, get in the car."

Sliding his kendo bag into the back, he got into the backseat obediently, buckling in.

Asuka's mom said cheerfully, "I'll pick him up every day at five after your Host Club, Suoh-kun!" Then she put the window up and drove away.

Remaining tense in his seat, Asuka stared straight ahead.

"How was school?"

"It was fine."

"Do I need to hire a tutor for you?"

"No, the classes were easy."

She perked up. "I knew an elite school like this was no match for you!" She crowed.

After a moment's pause, Asuka asked, "Will you really talk to Fujioka-san?"

"Why bother knowing a person whose name I don't recognize?"

To hide his disappointment, Asuka looked through the window at the blur of concrete and steel. Tomorrow, he'd ask Fujioka-senpai for help with English. He wouldn't let his mother stop him from making friends.

**TBC.**


	7. Fujioka's Offer

_**Author's notes:**__ We get to see more Fujioka+Asuka friendship interactions. So cute! Thank you all who read and review. -hearts- XD Anon, Asuka's mom is always mean. I wonder what wonderful Asuka-otomen moment will finally melt her hardened heart?  
_

* * *

When he finally found Fujioka's class during study period the next day, those obnoxious twins were a human barrier between Asuka and Fujioka. He'd dealt with more annoying types before… Despite their harsh language, they didn't seem the type to get into a physical altercation.

Catty eyes were on him at once. "Asuka-chan has come!" They said as one.

Fujioka looked up from his work and smiled at him. It was a little like Ryo's that it made his heart stop momentarily. Shaking his head to clear it, he stood next to Fujioka's desk as the twins sidled next to him, caging him in. "…"

"Did you need something Masamune-kun?"

"I was wondering if you had time to help me with—"

"Oh-ho! What a ploy to get closer to Haruhi!" Said the one on the left, and when he paused the other continued with more snark, "Well, it's not gonna work. You know he's already taken right?"

"Wh-what, th-that wasn't," Asuka stammered as he turned bright red.

"Hikaru! Kaoru! I'll give you my lunch if you stop bothering us!"

The Twins 'feh'-ed at him and slunk away. "We'll catch up with you another time, Asuka-chan!"

_I sincerely hope not_, Asuka thought with a grimace.

"Don't worry about those guys. Were you struggling in one of your classes?" Fujioka asked gently.

He nodded. "I have no idea what's going on in English."

"How about this: I can tutor you when I have free time during study period and then during Host Club time. I'll convince Kyouya-senpai. Do you bring a lunch from home?"

"Yes."

"Then we can also study during lunch period, if that's okay with you?"

Asuka bowed as he smiled happily. "Thank you so much," Straightening, he frowned slightly, "but will you be alright today since you gave away your lunch?"

"Yeah. I always make a second one in case I need to bribe those two."

_C-cool, _Asuka thought suddenly. _Fujioka is cool and prepared, like a war general used to fighting demons. _But, Asuka secretly envied him too, since he wanted to make his own lunches. Maybe things were really that different when one was raised by a single father. Ryo had it hard enough with her father completely rejecting the feminine… Maybe it didn't have to be that way.

"Let's meet in your classroom during lunch. I know how difficult it can be to get around a monstrously-sized building like this."

Asuka nodded and after another expression of gratitude made it back to his class.

When the dreaded English class was over, Asuka set the books aside and pulled out his bento box leaving his chopsticks on top of the lid until Fujioka could join him.

The trio of his fangirls looked disappointed but understanding when he explained that he was getting extra help from Fujioka during the lunch period.

"Ah-hhhh-ah!" One of the Hitachiin twins exclaimed, arms stretched out, and commented in English about something relating to the room. The other glanced at him and spoke rapid-fire English, saying Asuka's name. Then they laughed so that the freshman knew that they were talking about him.

He felt his ears burn.

"_Shut up and get out!_" Fujioka raised his voice in enunciated English, his finger lifting to the doorway. "You're being rude," he continued in their native language, "and we've made a deal."

"Right, right," they sighed together as if it were a hardship to part from their classmate. "Why does Haruhi always have to be so boring?" said the lamenting voice on the right as the two exited.

"Now, let's get to work, shall we?" Fujioka smiled warmly with a tilt to his head that made Asuka's heart flutter.

Not thinking anything of his senpai's cuteness, Asuka devoted himself to Fujioka's knowledgeable words in between bites of his mother's terrible homemade food.

At the end of their lesson, Fujioka looked deliberately at Asuka's half-eaten bento. "Would you like me to bring you a bento? I can't imagine your stomach feels very good after eating all that burnt and vinegary food. No offense."

Asuka flushed. "It's okay, Fujioka-senpai. You needn't trouble yourself."

"Trust me. It's _no_ trouble at all," Fujioka replied easily. "I just need to know if you like sweet, subtle, or bitter things?"

"I'll eat anything as long as it tastes good," he stated bluntly.

Fujioka grinned. "Then you'll have to eat whatever I give you. Is that a deal?"

Asuka nodded.

Fujioka glanced at the clock on the wall. "Well, I've gotta get to my next class. See you later at the Host Club." Fujioka packed up his bento and grabbed his bag, heading to his next class.

Since no one else was in the classroom, Asuka walked over to the trashcan and emptied his bento, so his mother wouldn't scold him later.

His stomach growled and cramped. He grabbed his thermos and sucked water down. He hoped it settled before Kendo Club in a few hours.

**TBC.**


	8. An Otomen Exposed

_**Author's notes:**__ A Twincest moment and some Host Club alumini appear! LoL Poor Asuka is in for a scare!_

* * *

After another rough session of kendo, Asuka showered and toweled off. When he picked up his spare kendo uniform, he noticed an errant thread and fixed it in moments with his needlework skills. Finished he dressed into it as promised.

Combing his damp hair, he fluffed it with his fingers so it didn't stick flat to his head. It would have looked better if he still had his textured hair gel, but his mother scoffed at his protests when she had taken that away too. She had said that a man must be presentable, but all-natural.

When he passed through the double doors to the Host Club, individual dramas were unfolding on a dojo scene. The President was as flamboyant as ever, complimenting his clients with undulations of praise, while the Twins were having an unusual interaction.

Curious, Asuka stepped closer to their mat where one of them labored to breathe as if he had broken a rib in the match. With shaking fingers, the other ever-so-gently cupped his cheek stroking it. "Kaoru… I'm so sorry for hurting you."

Grasping the hand, Kaoru tilted his head up, lips slightly parted. "It's not your fault, Hikaru. I told you to go all out."

The cluster of earnest clients around the brothers was leaning forward in their seats anticipating their next words.

"Kaoru!" Hikaru said with longing in his voice, his face hovering closer.

Blushing, Asuka looked away. He'd seen enough shoujo manga to tell that the two looked as if they meant to kiss. Obviously then, this was meant as _entertainment_…

"They have a weird gimmick. Don't mind them," Fujioka implored quietly.

Asuka turned to see that his senpai wore a kendo uniform as well. Though his senpai was supposedly a year older than him, Fujioka looked really girly in it with such a fine bone structure. Reminded of Ariake, Asuka quickly banished the thought that Fujioka wouldn't look half-bad crossdressing.

"Come on. I have a table set up for us."

Fujioka led him to a small area sectioned off with beautiful printed silk screens.

Puzzled at the only other cluster of girls in the other corner, Asuka looked in that direction. Ohtori was taking notes on a clipboard near Tamaki, so why would—

"Mori-senpai and Honey-senpai are here. They had time from college to drop in and visit." Fujioka gave Asuka a small grin. "You might know their little brothers. They're freshmen too."

The double-doors slammed open. "Mitsukini! Defend yourself!" Haninozuka Yasuchika, still wearing a judo uniform, rushed into the room straight for the mysterious group of girls in the corner.

As the crowds of girls parted, moving to the sides of the vast room, a small form with bright blond hair flipped towards the center of the room.

The slight boy glanced Asuka's way before beaming brightly at the taller Captain. "Chika-chan!"

That was when a ferocious hand-to-hand fight ensued that held Asuka's attention in a vice.

"Masamune-kun, let's get started, shall we?"

He raised his hand gesturing vaguely towards the two small forms duking it out. "But—"

"When two members of the Haninozuka family meet, they're expected to fight to stay alert or something like that. Don't worry," Fujioka said with a smile, "You'll get used to Ouran Academy's weirdness eventually, like I did. Now, we were just talking about—"

A cheer erupted, and Asuka's eyes were drawn to the fallen Karate Club Captain and saw that the smaller 'Honey-senpai' now hugged a pink stuffed bunny to his chest as he hopped with excitement.

_Sweet like honey, huh?_ Asuka's mother would freak if she ever found out about this Ouran High School graduate. Asuka would have thought his mother would be more thorough than this…

Fujioka sighed heavily.

"Oh! I apologize for my inattentiveness, Fujioka-senpai." Asuka flushed in embarrassment.

He gave Asuka a wry smile. "I shouldn't have expected to get anything done with this ruckus. Let's try again tomorrow, shall we? I'll introduce you to Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai."

Leading Asuka across the room to where the two were seated, Fujioka introduced him, and Asuka bowed, greeting them.

"I've heard of you, Suka-chan!"

Asuka couldn't help the blush at the cute nickname he'd been afforded. He swallowed as he frantically glanced at the crowd of girls drawn in by their interaction.

"You almost beat Chika-chan at the Judo National Championship this year! You must be really strong!" Honey-senpai was wolfing down a signature pastry like there was no tomorrow. "And Takashi said you must be really good to beat Satoshi at kendo!"

Nodding, the stoic and the until then silent older Morinozuka grunted in agreement.

Coloring further at the bold compliments, Asuka nodded. "I did my best."

"You know… Suka-chan," the short young man said between bites of sweet cake that Asuka was trying to ignore, "It's okay to be yourself here. The girls love cute things!"

"Mitsukuni, don't try to convert Masamune-kun to your strange ways. He's nothing like you!" Asuka's classmate demanded.

"Chika-chan, if you're so manly, explain your Petting Zoo Club?"

"Th-that's different!" Haninozuka yelled, standing up. "You're an alien!" Pushing past the girls, the darker blond ran out.

Asuka stared after him. _Alien?_

"You didn't meet Madame Masamune yesterday, Honey-senpai, so you don't know how iron-fisted she is! She believes her son must be manly no matter the cost to his mind or spirit!" The Host Club President moaned, "My heart aches to release this poor, poor pup from her well-intended clutches! How much does he suffer, how much does he have to fight to shield his mother from his true nature, his _otomen_ self!" Tamaki bemoaned.

The surrounding girls gasped, while Asuka tried to turn into stone.

"Otomen?" Futsuki asked. "What's that?"

Asuka was a crumbling statue now. He was doomed.

"A man with feminine interests," 'Honey' answered promptly between bites of cake. "If you tear your favorite bunny, Suka-chan can fix it! If you want a yummy dessert, Suka-chan will make it!"

"Is this for real?!" Hachibana exclaimed, excitedly.

Asuka held his hands up tentatively. "N-no. Of course not."

A big image blown-up from the _Yan-Yan _special article on the 'Demon of Fashion' was framed and held up for the girls to see by the orange-haired Twins. "Ohhh? What's this old thing then?" said the one on the left. "Yeah, it sure looks like you love sewing and cooking to me..." the other said devilishly. "Don't you agree, girls?" They asked the crowd.

They screamed with delight, flames of moe flaring hot around them.

Poor Asuka had no idea where the intense aura had suddenly come from, but he felt defeated. "I'll... pack my things then."

"What are you talking about, Masamune-kun?" Tashii asked curiously.

"I'm expelled now, right?"

"Ouran Academy is nothing like Ginyuri. Our Chairman is eccentric and expects his wealthy patrons, the students, to enjoy their learning time during adolesence," The Vice President corrected. "Of course," he added, "this doesn't include Scholarship Students. Chairman Suoh expects only the best work inside and outside of school. By Ouran's student policy, no one is forbidden certain hobbies merely because of cultural norms, unlike Ginyuri."

Asuka's stiff posture softened as relief filtered into him, momentarily.

"See, pup! Rejoice! We accept you for who you are!"

Fear sliced into Asuka's gut as realization dawned. This school was a haven for gossipers and if it got back to his mother... "Please don't tell anyone."

The group stared at him with pity.

"Honestly, why are you so cowed?" One of the twins complained with annoyance.

"Hikaru!" Fujioka glared at him. "Masamune-kun only has his mom. Of course, he'd be worried."

"But, if Ranka-san took him in...!" Tamaki implored.

"Are you stupid?" Fujioka snapped back and then shook his head. "Ladies," he asked the group of girls surrounding him, holding his hands together as if in prayer. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course, Fujioka-senpai!" Several of them said, almost affronted by the thought.

"We'll keep it just like Fujioka-kun's!" Older girls chimed in.

The Freshmen girls looked at each other curiously, wondering what their juniors and seniors were talking about. Asuka, too, wanted to know. Was Fujioka an otomen like him?

"Well, if it's that big of a secret…" Fujioka began.

"No! We've decided it's now a tradition to be passed along to the next class at the end of the year!" A Junior admonished Fujioka, who blinked at the girl in response.

The buzz of gossip suddenly turned on about what Fujioka's secret could be, totally treating Asuka's _otomen_ status as old news.

"Here! I saved you a piece of cake, Suka-chan!" Honey-senpai offered the plate of iced angelfood cake topped with a strawberry. "This is all that's left of that huuuge cake the nice chef gave me! It's really tasty!"

Asuka almost politely turned it down, but he noticed that nobody was paying attention to them. The sweet smell of cake made his mouth water. Taking a deep breath, Asuka slowly pushed the fork into the moist cake and took the first heavenly bite of sweets he'd had in weeks.

Honey-senpai giggled at his blissful expression. "See?" He scooped his own fork into a new plate of chocolate cake and chomped down with a noise of happiness. "They're all yummy!"

Futsuki and her friends couldn't help taking pictures of the both of them with their phone. Asuka's expression was too good to pass up!

"Hoshakuji-senpai will love this shot as well!" She whispered conspiratorially to Tashii and Hachibana as she pressed send button on her phone. Futsuki had been sending pictures of Asuka doing various activities to the sick Hoshakuji all week.

In exchange, the trio would get free copies of the _Moe Moe Ouran Journal _before anyone else! The girls grinned at each other in a job well done.

* * *

"Sachihana-sensei, your ghost artist work came in today."

"Good," Juta muttered darkly, pushing the toothed headband back to keep his bangs out of his face, "I need that bonus check, since _Love Chick _isn't progressing at all."

He opened the bulky envelope and pulled out the storyboard along with reference pictures of _Moe Moe Ouran Journal_.

Long ago, he suspected that this particular series would have been a hit with the general public, but since each volume was a vanity printing of fewer than two hundred copies… It was funny and unreal, but for the most part it seemed to chronicle this very unlikely student Host Club.

Flipping through the roughly sketched storyboard, it was more of the hilarious escapades and drama he was used to drawing by now.

It was the last chapter that caught his eye. There was a new character, a manly transfer student in this maelstrom of chaos with a gentle secret. Blinking, he grabbed the reference pics and finding what he suspected he stood up straight. "Matsudo-san!"

"Yes, Sachihana-sensei?"

"Where does this series get delivered to anyway?"

"If I have to guess, that ultra-rich Ouran Private Academy where it gets its namesake."

"Thanks! I'm taking the day off."

"You know the deadline for that series is stricter than _Love Chick_, I wouldn't—"

Juta showed him the picture. "He's my friend. The one I said his mother suddenly expelled from my school. I need to tell the others."

"_Sachihana-sensei_, please call your other friends instead!" Matsudo was sweating and mopping it up with his handkerchief. Juta had never seen the man this panicked before.

"Is your job on the line?"

He looked away. "I'm sorry Sachihana-sensei. You shouldn't have to concern yourself with your manager."

"You have a family to worry about feeding, just like I do, but I guess I'm too valuable to replace with my skills." Juta flipped his phone open and speed-dialed Tonomine. "Yo, Ryo. I found him at Ouran Private Academy. Please alert the others. I have a deadline coming up and I can't come."

When he heard her respond, he said goodbye, hanging up, and settled down to work.

"Thank you, Sachihana-sensei," his manager breathed out.

**TBC.**


	9. A New Transfer Student

_**Author's notes: **Poor Tonomine... His parents are in some ways just as harsh as Asuka's mom... Anyway, his snark fits so well with Asuka's gentleness.  
_

* * *

"Have a good day at school, Asuka!" His mother called out the next Monday and then drove away.

Stoic, he walked past the expansive gardens leading up to the palatial Ouran Academy.

"Masamune!" A smooth voice yelled in annoyance.

Shocked, Asuka spun on his feet, hands up defensively. "Tonomine! What're you doing here?"

A curious murmur from other students arose around the two rivals.

The thin, dark-haired teen adjusted his rectangular-framed glasses. "What do you think?" His eyes glanced up at the building.

Asuka blinked. Tonomine Hajime was wearing the same starched, light blue uniform as he was and was weighed down by two bags: one for books and the other for kendo accessories. "You transferred here?"

"This has nothing to do with you," Tonomine said brutally, "I was offered a scholarship that matched the price of attending Kinbara High three days ago. My parents forced me to take it."

"Even so, I'm glad you're here." Asuka's smile was earnest.

Tonomine's severe look grew more severe. "You and I are enemies, not friends."

Asuka's smile didn't go away. "Have they assigned you a class? Did you get an Athletics Scholarship too?"

Walking into the air-conditioned hallway, Tonomine scoffed, "I hardly deserve that honor considering my abysmal ranking in the last National Championship."

"Don't be so hard on yourself! You made third place in the Kendo tournament!"

"Do you really think that I would be satisfied with that?" Tonomine snarled out as they exited into a courtyard where a huge, circular fountain laid in the middle.

Groups of students were whispering as they argued, but for once Asuka didn't mind their attention.

Asuka looked contrite. "I didn't mean to offend you," he said quietly.

"Masamune! Tonomine!" The very tall Morinozuka wrapped an arm around their shoulders. "How's it going?"

"It will be better when you remove your arm," Tonomine snapped at Asuka's too-friendly classmate.

The black-haired teen took his hands back and shook his hands harmlessly towards the bespectacled new transfer student. "Whoa, I didn't think anyone was pricklier than Yasuchika!"

Tonomine adjusted his glasses. "You are the Kendo Club Captain, Morinozuka Takashi, correct?"

"Yeah!" The black-haired teen smiled. "Nice to meet ya! Our club meets right after school, so don't be late."

"I know when the club meets—"

Morinozuka's head whipped around at the squeal of girls fawning. "Yasuchika!" The honey brown-haired boy frowned in Morinozuka's direction and continued stalking away from the yellow-dressed girls hounding him. Morinozuka glanced at the two still standing awkwardly next to him. "I gotta run an interception. See you guys later!" Then he was running towards the sullen Haninozuka, waving.

"Tonomine, I need to warn you before we get to class. There's this club that I was blackmailed into, and then everyone found out I was an _otomen_…"

"What's that have to do with me?"

Asuka floundered. "These guys… the Hitachiin brothers threatened to tell the whole school that I was the Demon of Fashion," Asuka whispered.

Tonomine snorted. "Are the students so sheltered?"

"What do you mean?" Asuka asked curiously as they finally walked out of the majestic courtyard into another hallway.

"It's hit the news stations across Japan. Plenty of publicity for _Yan Yan_," Tonomine groused in annoyance. "That editor went too far. She had no right."

Despite very real fear clenching his gut, Asuka felt touched by Tonomine's rough admission of the editor's scruples. "I agree."

"I'm not commiserating with you!" Tonomine shouted. "She revealed me too! My father was embarrassed by the scandal and would've disowned me if Ouran Academy hadn't offered an Academic Scholarship!"

With widened eyes, Asuka's face fell. "I'm so sorry, Tonomine. It was my idea to transform that girl at that festival, months ago…"

Looking uncomfortable while they walked side by side, Tonomine redistributed the weight of his bookbag and his heavy bag of kendo gear over his shoulders. "It was my decision to go along with it." He looked distant with softening nostalgia and then he blinked and actually looked around.

The tile was pink, polished shale beneath their feet as they entered the fancy school. The walls were lined with exquisite white marble and an assortment of ostentatious Western-style decorative moldings and paintings. The lights that hung from the painted, vaulted ceilings were multi-branched gold-appearing candlesticks bowed upward and connected with chains of crystal.

"Incredible," Tonomine murmured as his eyes took in his surroundings.

"Mm." Asuka smiled warmly. He'd ignored the beautiful architectural highlights for the most part because of his manly mask, but he took in the enjoyable sights with Tonomine before he regrettably shook himself out of its extensive splendor. "My classroom, 1-A, is right down the hall." He hesitated not wanting to anger Tonomine with any friendly suggestions.

"We're in the same class," the other Demon Samurai stated.

They walked closer to the noise of engaged conversation echoing off the hallway walls and entered the room together.

"Here it comes! Here it comes!" squealed a teen girl wearing a Ginyuri Academy uniform, her nose in a graphic novel.

Why would anyone wear a Ginyuri Academy uniform at Ouran Academy? Asuka wondered.

The two teenagers who had just entered stopped short at the sight of their female classmates crowding around a stack of manga.

"Renge-sama! They're here!" A girl crowed out.

The girl that stuck out like a sore thumb among the yellow dresses straightened regally, putting a hand on her hip and pointing towards them. "The Fashion Samurai are here! Ladies, assemble!"

The homeroom teacher cleared his throat. "Houshakuji, while I understand your excitement this is not the time to loiter and play. School is in session."

Stepping back and covering her mouth, she laughed pompously. "You Demons may have escaped me this time, but just wait until Club Activities begin!" Her laughter grew maniacal like a villain's, and then a series of small stage explosions went off. A cloud of smoke suddenly furled out. By the time it dispersed the very strange girl had disappeared.

"What a strange school," Tonomine muttered, shaking his head, and stepped to the front of the class.

While the teacher introduced Tonomine, Asuka calmly took his chair. He had a bad feeling about that girl wearing the Ginyuri Academy uniform.

**TBC.**


End file.
